Floor 1, Room 3

[jokey]

AKIRA

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[jokey]

[—Akira jerks up from his office chair, swiveling around to see Solomon coughing and sputtering on the ground. He's awake now, clearly... and what a state he's in.

Akira jumps up, pitcher in one hand and glass in the other, pouring Solomon some water on the way over.]

I was wondering if you'd ever wake up. How are you...?

[...doing? Akira falls silent, setting the glass of water and pitcher down on the coffee table. His hand finds Solomon's shoulder.]

Everything alright?

[impacter]

[He starts a bit at Akira's voice, his shoulders tensing under the touch. But it settles with an exhale and a groan of misery, even as he weakly gives a thumbs-up that morphs into a very messy pat against the teen's arm.]

Never better. [Hoarse, groggy. Even without the buzz of alcohol or an intensely specific dream banging around in his head, he's already hardly a morning person. So his head just tucks tighter against his knees with a tired, grumpy mumbling.] Mm, just... Just give me a minute, please...

[jokey]

Geez... I brought you water, you know.

[Akira taps the coffee table. Water! Fresh water! Akira assumes the issue here is a raging hangover, and one of the best cures for that is hydration.]

If you feel that bad, go lie down in bed. I'll wake you up in an hour.

[impacter]

[The tapping works as the older man glances up towards the noise, a shock of color across his face.]

Mmm... yeah, so you did. [Right. Right, hangover. He tentatively reaches out to grasp the glass and bring it up to his lips.]

Not sure I'd want to go back to sleep just yet. But thank you.

[jokey]

[About time Solomon paid attention to him—

...Ah, wait. He's blushing? Why is he blushing?? The unexpected shock brings a little color to Akira's cheeks and he's swiveling on his heel to busy himself with something, anything, so his shock isn't immediately obvious. First thing in the morning is the perfect time to dust the dustless coffee table..........]

Uh, well, you're welcome. Do whatever you want, then.

[...He nearly knocks over the pitcher, but it's fine. If it fell over, it would be Solomon's fault for embarrassing him anyway.]

[impacter]

[Hm? An odd time for Akira to be showing some nerves... but it's easier to focus on that than his raging headache and intense desire to go back to bed, so he grasps for it with little thought otherwise, his laugh rough but still the same light ringing of bells that it had been the night before.]

My, you're a little tense.

Are you sure you don't need the water more than I do?

[jokey]

[Shit, he totally noticed. Akira drops his dustless dust rag on Solomon's face and promptly rises to put some distance between them. Something is wrong with him. Something is wrong with them both.]

No, no, I'm fine. A shower'll help, but I have company. A good host wouldn't abandon his guest, right?

[impacter]

Hah... here I thought we were just hanging out.

There, there. No need to be so formal, goshujinsama.

[Is he absolutely calling him that to embarrass him further? Yeah. He'll just nurse his water against his hands, carefully lowering his hunched position to sit cross-legged instead. He's visibly groggy on top of everything else - unfortunately, he's not a morning person.]

It's a shame we didn't save the coffee for now, rather than last night. It really was very good.

[jokey]

[Hey now, where did Solomon learn a word like that? It's a good thing Akira didn't have his mouth full or he would've spat the contents out all over the floor. Wandering back over, he swats Solomon over the head with a bundle of papers.]

No, no, you're doing it wrong. If you want me to make you more coffee, you say goshujinsama, onegaidesu~!

[impacter]

[Pfft.

He slides his cup onto the table, pushing up to his feet with a very careful combing of his fingers through his hair, before giving a fake curtsy, face still flushed.]

Okaerinasaimase, goshujinsama~

Coffee ni suru?
Gohan ni suru?
Soretomo...

Wa...ta... shi...♡♡?

[Did he just do a meme? Yeah maybe.

Time to blow Akira a kiss.]

[jokey]

[HELLO??? What gave this man the right? Akira stills like a deer in the headlights before ultimately ducking for cover behind the couch. This can't be real... Someone get this man a maid dress asap..................

A pathetic warbling from behind the couch,]

Don't tempt me.

[He's done. Cooked. This man is going to be the death of him.]

[impacter]

[He chuckles, clearly amused, before setting himself back down on the opposite side of the couch and returning to his glass of water.]

I wouldn't have as many pacts as I do if I didn't know a thing or two about that.

Maybe you should think very carefully before playing with fire.

[jokey]

So you're calling yourself a slut?

[Because that's what it sounds like. Multiple pacts, eh... What's the difference between that and a dozen girlfriends at once?

Akira's staying where he is for now, btw. He'll rejoin Solomon when his heart isn't threatening to give out on him.]

No fair. You've had a billion years to practice.

[impacter]

Hardly.

[That's Asmo's job.]

A demon thrives on temptation. Though something from the Devildom may try to entice a human, with the proper knowledge and safety, a human may just as easily bewitch them in return.

[jokey]

[Akira peeks up from behind the couch and squints at Solomon.]

Sounds like a yes to me. I should take lessons from you.

[impacter]

You have enough at your disposal as it is, Akira. The demons I work with are not Personas, nor are they meant to be, and I would rather keep them that way.

[Carefully reaching for the pitcher to pour himself a refill...]

I've never had a partner, either, so if you are asking for relationship advice, you might want to seek someone else for flirtation.

[jokey]

Seriously? You haven't?

[Given how Solomon is, Akira sounds mildly surprised at best. Still, he wiggles closer to whisper in his ear...]

...Does that mean you're a virgin...?

[impacter]

No.

[Ballsy move, kid. If he wasn't expecting that sort of question from Akira already, he might be a little more embarrassed to answer, but it's better to just snuff that train of thought out immediately.]

I've simply never had someone close to me.

[jokey]

[Well damn. He doesn't know whether to feel sorry for Solomon or not, but he's clearly chosen this life. Akira leans back and hums.]

Sounds lonely. Then again, I'm sure you're used to it. [...] No offense.

1/2

[impacter]

[...]

/2

[impacter]

None taken.

[Back to his water. No need to dwell on it.]

I've had my times to be jealous. Life will move on regardless.

[jokey]

Hey.

[Don't think he can't feel that disturbance in the force, Grandpa. Akira's hand plops down on Solomon's head like a paperweight and vigorously musses up his hair.

A lonely little boy in a cellar with only his own magic for company. Solomon didn't deserve that. He still doesn't.]

When you're with me, you'll never be lonely. Got it? I won't allow it.

[impacter]

[his HAIR

it's fine, Asmo isn't here to judge his appearance. So he simply laughs. An airy and pointless sound.]

You all keep me lively. I can't complain.

[There's still some obvious detachment from the statement.]

Especially when I get to enjoy things like your coffee, Akira-chan.

[jokey]

You're such a bad liar.

[But he likes Solomon anyway, so whatever. He'll let it go. Solomon isn't aware of this, but Akira keeps coffee-making supplies in his room, so he'll hop up and get a pot of it boiling.]

You can have as much of it as you like. Just promise you'll seek me out when you're feeling low and need a little pick me up.

[impacter]

Who said I'm lying? I'd rather be helping those of you that need the help instead of dwelling on things I can't change.

[Oh my god you coffee nerd........... it's fine, grandpa exploded a sourdough starter in his room the other week so he literally can't complain about your hobbies.]

Really, Akira, it's as though you find me elusive.